When I first started my healing journey, I thought it was something I had to do alone. A private struggle, managed quietly, without burdening others. Most of us are taught this — that our wounds are ours to carry, and asking for help is weakness.
Thrive Grant changed that story for me.
What Changed
The grant I received didn’t just cover the cost of a program I couldn’t afford. It came wrapped in something more: accountability, encouragement, and the knowledge that a community of people had voted for my healing. Strangers believed in me before I fully believed in myself.
That’s not something money can buy directly. It’s the byproduct of a system designed around radical generosity.
The Ripple Effect
In the months since completing the program, I’ve watched myself become more present with my family. I’ve started volunteering with a local youth group. I’ve had honest conversations I’d been avoiding for years.
None of this happened because of any single breakthrough moment. It accumulated — slowly, then all at once.
What We Owe Each Other
There’s a concept in many Indigenous healing traditions: the idea that individual healing is incomplete without community. When one person heals, the whole community heals with them. When one person is suffering, the whole community carries that weight.
Thrive Grant is, at its core, a bet on that idea.
If you’re considering whether to donate or get involved — this is what your contribution funds. Not just a program for one person, but a ripple that touches everyone around them.
Dewey Steadman is a Thrive Grant recipient and community advocate. His story appears with his permission.
Help More People Access Healing
Thrive Grant funds access to personal growth and healing programs for people who need them most. Every donation directly expands who we can reach.